T HE M ONTHLY N EWSLETTER OF P ERCH B ASE , U S S V I , P HOENIX , A RIZONA April 2011 WWW . PERCH - BASE . ORG Volume 17 - Issue 4 THE USSVI CREED GUIDES OUR EFFORTS AS PERCH BASE. What‛s “Below Decks” in the SEE THE NEXT PAGE FOR THE FULL TEXT OF OUR CREED. MidWatch ITEM Page # Full Text of the: 2 USSVI Creed Base Offi cers - Sailing Orders 3 Perch Base Foundation Support 4 Members “From the Wardroom” Base Com- 5 mander’s Message March 2011 - Perch Base Meeting 5 Minutes Chaplain’s Column 8 Binnacle List 8 Holland Club Members 9 LEST WE FORGET THOSE STILL ON PATROL Perch Base April Birthdays 10 What’s New Online 10 APRIL ETERNAL PATROLS Shipmate-to-Shipmate 11 This Ain’t No S**t - Flossie the USS PICKEREL (SS-177) 03 Apr 1943 74 Lost Aussie What We’ve Been Up To . 12 Japanese Surface Attack off Honshu, Japan Lost Boat: 13 USS Rickerel (SS-177) USS S49 (SS-160) 04 Apr 1926 4 Lost Diesel Boats Forever - Origin of 14 the Pin Battery Explosion, SubBase New London, Boat survived Mailing Page 17 USS SNOOK (SS-279) 08 Apr 1945 84 Lost Unknown causes off Formosa USS THRESHER (SSN-593) 10 Apr 1963 129 Lost Operational fl ooding off New England Coast USS BONEFISH (SS-582) 24 Apr 1988 3 Lost Fire and Explosion off Florida, Boat decommissioned April 9 Park Perch Base Annual Picnic NO BASE MEETING IN APRIL White Tanks Regional Attend the Base Picnic White Tanks Regional Park 12 noon, Saturday, April 9, 2010 USSVI CREED Our organization’s purpose is . “To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country. That their dedication, deeds and supreme sacrifi ce be a con- stant source of motivation toward greater accomplishments. Pledge loyalty and patriotism to the United States of America and its Constitution. In addition to perpetuating the memory of departed ship- mates, we shall provide a way for all Submariners to gather for the mutual benefi t and enjoyment. Our common heritage as Submariners shall be strengthened by camaraderie. We support a strong U.S. Submarine Force. The organization will engage in various projects and deeds that will bring about the perpetual remembrance of those shipmates who have given the supreme sacrifi ce. The organi- zation will also endeavor to educate all third parties it comes in contact with about the services our submarine brothers performed and how their sacrifi ces made possible the free- dom and lifestyle we enjoy today.” Page 2 BASE OFFICERS COMMANDER: Jim Denzien 2027 South 85th Ln. Sailing Tolleson, AZ 85353-8752 (623) 547-7945 [email protected] VICE COMMANDER: Orders Warner H. Doyle 13600 W. Roanoke Ave. Goodyear, AZ 85395 ANNUAL PERCH BASE PICNIC (623) 935-3830 White Tank Regional Park [email protected] 11 a.m., Saturday, April 9, 2010 SECRETARY: Tim Moore (Take Olive Ave. west to the park) 5751 W. Bloomfi eld Rd. Glendale, AZ 85304-1832 (602) 574-3286 [email protected] TREASURER: Bob Warner Flagstaff, AZ 6757 W. Paso Trail Peoria, AZ 85383-7151 Armed Forces Day (623) 825-7042 [email protected] Parade and Static Display CHAPLAIN: May 21 Walt Blomgren 5120 W. Gelding Dr. Glendale, AZ 85306 (602) 309-4407 [email protected] NEWSLETTER & WEBPAGE EDITOR: Chuck Emmett 7011 West Risner Rd. Glendale, AZ 85308-8072 (623) 466-9569 [email protected] MEMBERSHIP: Rick Simmons 10868 W. Crosby Dr. Sun City, AZ 85351-4026 (623) 583-4235 [email protected] COB: (Vacant) STOREKEEPER: DeWayne Lober 8509 N. 16th Ave. MAY 30 Phoenix, AZ 85021-5424 MEMORIAL DAY” (602) 944-4200 [email protected] PHOENIX NATIONAL CEMETARY EVENTS COORDINATOR: Joe “Wanderer” Varese 11702 W. Main St. Peoria, AZ 85335-2314 (623) 388-6749 [email protected] HISTORIAN: James W. Newman 3422 North 51st Place Phoenix, AZ 85018-6120 (602) 840-7788 [email protected] Page 3 2011 Perch Base Foundation Supporters These are the Base members and friends who donate monies to allow for Base operation while keeping our dues low and avoid raising money through member labor as most other organiza- tions do. Remember, if you contribute by check, it must be made out to the “Perch Base Foundation.” These are the 2011 Foundation Donors BEN ACOSTA DEWAYNE LOBER JERRY N. ALLSTON BURTIS W. LOFTIN KENNETH R. ANDERSON STEPHEN A. MARCELLINO STEVEN BALTHAZOR GEORGE MARIONS GARY BARTLETT RAYMOND MARSHALL JEROME F. BECKER SANDY MARTIN KENNETH E. BECKER TERRY MARTIN RICHARD BERNIER ROBERT E. MAY RONALD B. BEYER DENNIS MCCOMB DAVID CARPENTER ANGUS HOWARD MCPHERSON JOHN CASH ALLEN H. MILLER ROGER J. COUSIN ROGER M. MILLER EUGENE V. CRABB TIM MOORE GEORGE L. CRIDER DANNY R. MOSS MICHAEL DAHL JEFF A. NELSON BILLY DESHONG JIM A. NELSON JAMES N. EDWARDS JAMES F. NEWMAN HARRY ELLIS JAMES W. NEWMAN JOE ERRANTE ROYCE E. PETTIT JAMES EVANS ERNIE PLANTZ THOMAS E. FOOSHEE LARRY M. RANKIN JOHN A. GRAVES DANIEL J. REEL BILLY A. GRIEVES STAN REINHOLD MICHAEL J. HALER BRUCE “ROBIE” ROBINSON EDWARD J. HAWKINS PETE SATTIG HARRY HELLER FRED SAUNDERS GLENN A. HEROLD EMIL SCHOONEJANS LESTER R. HILLMAN GARRY L. SHUMANN THEODORE HUNT RICK SIMMONS DAVY L. JONES WAYNE KIRK SMITH L. A. (MIKE) KEATING ADRIAN M. STUKE JACK S. KIMBALL DONALD UNSER RICHARD F. KUNZE ROBERT WARNER DEWIGHT KRAMER, SR. JAMES WALL DOUGLAS M. LA ROCK FORREST J. WATSON DARRELL LAMBERT JOHN G. ZAICHKIN ROBERT A. LANCENDORFER RONALD J. ZOMOK ALBERT LANDECK Page 4 From the Wardroom Base Commander‛s Message Shipmates: We had a very successful event at Luke Days on the 19th and 20th. In addition to the Thunderbirds and all the rest putting on a great show, we made contact with a lot of potential new members and quite possibly brought some old members back in. We also did quite well with stores sales. We have the Military Transport Show at Falcon Field on the 26th and Military Appreciation Day at the Camelback Ranch Sports Complex on the 27th. Check the details on our website and come on out. The picnic/our next meeting will be April 9th at the White Tank Mountains Park. If you are plan on coming, please let Rick Simmons know so that we can get a good head count. Check the website for details on this event also. See you at the picnic!! Fraternally, Jim Denzien, Base Commander March 2011 Perch Base Meeting Minutes The regular monthly meeting of the Arizona Submarine Veterans Perch Base was convened at Dillon’s Restaurant at Arrowhead, in Glendale, AZ at 1208 hours, 12 March 2011. The meeting was called to order by Jim Denzien, Base Commander. The “Call to Order” was led in a prayer of invocation by Walt Blomgren followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the standard ceremonial opening. The tolling ceremony was conducted for all boats lost in the month of March and a moment of silence was observed for our shipmates on eternal patrol. A special tolling ceremony was conducted for our shipmate, Turk Turner who recently passed away. Marion “Turk” Turner departed on eternal patrol on 28 February 2011. Turk was a WWII survivor from the USS Perch (SS-176) which, after being severely damaged from a Japanese attack, could not be saved and was scuttled by the crew. He went on to spend over three years in a Japanese POW camp. There are two remaining Perch survivors: Robert Lents of Mountain Home, AR and Ernie Plantz of Gales Ferry, CT. A motion was made and seconded that the minutes from the February 2011 regular meeting be approved as pub- lished in the MidWatch monthly newsletter. The motion was carried by unanimous voice vote. Bob Warner reported on the base’s fi nancial status as of 28 Feb 2011. A motion was made and seconded to accept the Treasurer’s Report as read. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. According to the Sailing List there were 34 members and guests present. The complete sailing list included: Jim Denzien Tim Moore Rick Simmons Howard Doyle Chuck Emmett Ed Hawkins Walt Blomgren John Zaichkin Raymond Marshall Dewey Reed Richard Bernier Richard Kunze John Schlag DeWayne Lober Jim Newman Dan Moss Mary Denzien Jackie Hawkins Dottie Reed Jim Edwards Don DeMarte James F. Newman Royce Pettit Charles Hooper Jack Kimball Ron Zomok Joe Varese Herb Herman Bob Warner Billy Grieves Davy Jones Tom Clonts Dick Sinclair Matt Hayball Base Commander’s Board of Directors Meeting Report Jim reported that the BOD is going to establish a Perch Base budget for continuing base operations. We are cur- Page 5 rently giving Bob Warner input to establish this budget. It was the decision of the board to eliminate the use of Facebook as a forum for communications for the BOD. From this point forward, the board will use e-mail to communicate. Jim announced that we have two volunteers to step up and consider filling the Secretary position. Also, Jack Moore found it necessary to resign as COB so we need to fill this position as well. We have given our two potential candi- dates job descriptions and will invite them to the next board meeting in April after which a final decision will be made on the selection process. We also voted on making some changes to the Policies & Procedures Manual so that it is updated and in compliance with the current needs and requirements of the base. Other items discussed were fund raising and the SOS Project. The SOS Project has been established as a specific goal in the Policies & Procedures Manual.